Mývatn
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Location | Þingeyjarsveit, Northeastern Region, Iceland | ||||
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Maps
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Mývatn is situated in the northeast of Iceland.
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Map of Mývatn without population centers
The origin of Mývatn
[edit]The eruptions in parts of two volcanic systems, the shield volcano Ketildyngja, part of the Fremrinámur system, around 3800 BP and in the Lúdentsborgir and Þrengslaborgir crater rows, part of the volcanic system of Heiðarsporðar around 2200 BP produced big lava flows, the Laxárhraun, which dammed the river Laxá í Aðaldal and formed the lake.
The eruptions of shield volcano Ketildyngja
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Hawaiian eruptions build up shield volcanoes.
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The eruptions were probably similar to these of Piton de la Fournaise
Fissure eruptions of the Lúdentsborgir and Þrengslaborgir crater rows
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Fissure eruptions like Kilauea's "Episode 54"
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Lava flows like on Mount Etna
Lava flows as a dam
[edit]The lava flows dammed up the river Laxá to build the lake, and explosions created the Rootless cones of Skútustaðir
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The river Laxá í Aðaldal with part of the lava field
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Lava island
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Mývatn in winter
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Pseudocraters in lake Mývatn
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Part of the lake
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Kálfaströnd
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Rootless cones
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At Dimmuborgir the lava flows ponded, formed a lava tunnel and when its roof broke down strange forms remained.
Flora and Fauna of Mývatn
[edit]The lake of midges
[edit]This is the English translation of the lake's name. But it is just on some days, that there are really many. A lot of different species of Anatidae (ducks etc.) live from the larvae.
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Midges at bank of lake Mývatn
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The prettiest birds of Mývatn: Histrionicus histrionicus
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A mallard female with upspring at Mývatn
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Eggs of Slavonian Grebe (Podicaps auritus) on the banks of Mývatn
Endemic algae
[edit]An endemic edible algae species, Aegagropila linnaei (ísl. Kúluskítur), is to be found in the lake. It exists only here and in the Japanese lake Akan.
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The algae
Flora of Mývatn
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Hreindýramos (Cladonia rangiferina) at Mývatn
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Cetraria islandica and Cladonia rangiferina at Mývatn
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Small forest path near Mývatn
Population centers and farms around Mývatn
[edit]Reykjahlíð
[edit]The village of around 200 inhabitants is the administration and tourism center of the municipality Skútustaðahreppur.
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Parts of the village
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In the 18th century, during the Mývatn fires of Krafla, the lava almost overrun the church.
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The village with parts of the volcanic system
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The village Vogar not far from Reykjahlíð
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The church of Skútustadir
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Skútustadir
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Aerial photograph
Tourism at Mývatn
[edit]There are tourist facilities around the lake, a tourst information center at Reykjahlíð and many tourist attractions esp. regarding the volcanism of Krafla.
Mývatn Natural Baths
[edit]Krafla volcanic system
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High temperature area Hverarönd at Námafjall
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The tuff ring Hverfjall
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Leirhnjúkur and the Krafla caldera